5 Ways To Protect Your Surfboard From Damage

If you have taken up surfing, then you already know a good surfboard can cost you a few hundred bucks (with nicer ones costing even more). And since you probably don’t want to have to buy another one anytime soon, it’s a good idea to try to protect your current board from damage. Cause even small bits of damage can be costly to repair. If you take time out to protect your gear, then you can expect your board to last you for many good runs. Just follow our tips and we’ll help you keep that board in great shape.

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Always Use A Good Board Bag

Though you always see surfers the movies just carrying their boards or tossing them in the back of there open-top Jeeps, the fact is that this is a great way to damage your surfboard. The truth is that you always need to transport your board in a good surfboard bag. This is pretty much the only way to be sure that it won’t get dinged up before you can get it in the water. There are a lot of different board bags out there on the market right now, so get yourself the best board bag you can afford to keep that gear in tip top shape.

And if you are flying with your board, you need even more protection that your normal board bag. You can actually buy a travel case for your surfboard, which is the best way to travel on an airplane with your surfboard. But, if you can’t get one of those, then add as much extra padding to your board bag as you can. I am talking about putting towels in with it, putting sliced open pool noodles around the edges and then wrapping it in several sheets of bubble wrap. Cause seriously, airlines are not careful with boards and the last thing you want is to get to the beach and have a broken board.

Always Rinse Off Salt Water

Another thing about surfing movies – you never see the surfers rinsing their boards after riding a few waves. But here’s the thing, that salt water will seriously erode away the coating of your board. You don’t want that to happen cause you’ll have to replace your board sooner.

So, if you’re at a beach with public showers outside, then that is the perfect opportunity for you to rinse your board before you take it back to your vehicle. But don’t worry if there isn’t a shower or any other fresh water nearby. Just remember to rinse the board off as soon as you get it back home.

Never Leave Your Board In The Sun For Long

You should never leave your board sitting out in the sun for a long period, like an hour or longer. Why? Because the sun’s rays can actually destroy the laminate coating on the board, which means you’ll be forced to buy yourself a new board long before you’re ready to part with the cash. I know this sounds kinda weird since you spend time in the sun while you’re surfing, but there’s just something about that prolonged, direct contact with the UV rays that causes the damage. So, just remember to put it in the shade.

Always Change Your Wax Each Season

Look, I get it – waxing your board takes time and removing it just to re-wax it takes even longer. But this is not something that you want to be lazy about. Each season, you need to remove last season’s wax with a good wax scraper, a pickle and a wax remover. The reason that this is so important is that it removes an entire season’s worth of grit and dirt that has built up on the board. It also lets you fully inspect the board for any cracks or dings that you might have gotten last season. Once that is all done, just re-apply your wax for the current season and you’re ready to hit the waves.

Never Try To Repair A Wet Board

Repairing small dings on your surfboard on your own is something that is very easy to do with a little SunCure or an epoxy stick. They even sell ding repair kits that make it a piece of cake. But here’s the thing – part of repairing small dings requires some light sanding down of the area. And you can’t do that if your board is still wet from the ocean water. Never, under any circumstance, attempt to repair a surfboard that still has moisture in it from being in the water.

To repair a wet board, put it out in the sun or a hot room to dry it out before you start the repair process. Just remember not to leave it out in the sun too long or you’ll end up with a different type of damage.